Atomic force microscopy: from research lab to high-volume manufacturing

Last decade, research in semiconductor focused on scaling with EUV lithography and 2D materials, alongside increased complexity with innovations like CFETs and hybrid bonding. A key challenge emerged, the precise Z-dimension control and measurement. AFM is currently the only non-destructive method for measuring surface topography and roughness. While primarily used in R&D due to low throughput, emerging technologies are making AFM viable for high-volume manufacturing and measurement of high aspect ratio structures. This presentation covers AFM's evolution, its role in the semiconductor industry, key use cases, and the next generation of scanning probe metrology.